Antarctica, Alaska, England, Egypt.. I was quite amazed when I found out that wave surfing can actually be done anywhere. I didn't expect people to surf at these places, but yes, they do! Of course, it shouldn't be one of the places you'd start surfing, but still it's a weird idea... Alaska!
Photo: surfing in Alaska (photo source: click here)
But as a starter, where should you start learning how to surf?
It's very important that you're in the right atmosphere to pick up surfing. It's a good thing to stay in a popular surfer's place but it can either be done in the less "surf-like" areas.
Surfing can be done anywhere, use the magicseaweed website!
The website www.magicseaweed.com can provide you of the weather forecast information you need. Especially when you're a starter, waves shouldn't be too big. It's easier to learn surfing on smaller ones. I believe waves of 0,7 - 1 meter are big enough. On the website, search for a nearby beach and as long as the wave speed is higher than 8 seconds, it should be alright. If the waves come too often, it could be difficult to learn.
But you should prefer the places with a nice atmosphere..
If you're in the right atmosphere, surfing would definitely be way easier to pick up. With friends, summer vibes, a good climate... those things would definitely help you to pick up surfing. You could think about places like:
Sri Lanka and Indonesia
Indonesia is one of the best places as far as I know. Also, Sri Lanka seems to be a good place to go for a surf. My favorite place is Bali, this is actually where I picked up surfing. There's plenty of surf beaches which make Bali a good place for both beginners and professionals.
Photo: Reef break in Uluwatu, Bali (source: click here)
US: Hawaii
As far as I know, surfing is done anywhere in the US. But yea, since we're discussing the right places to pick it up, Hawaii! This is actually the place where wave surfing comes from. Since centuries ago, people are used to surf there. Hawai provides more than enough places for you to learn surfing and nowadays it's actually one of the most popular places as worldwide competitions are often in Hawaii.
Photo: group of surfers in Hawaii (source: click here)
Europe: Spain, France, Portugal and England
Yea, that's right, also England! That's where I've been last year. South-England has a rich history of surfing. You can read my article about my field research about the history of surfing in England. South-England definitely has this surfing atmosphere. There's palm trees, nice beaches and the climate is very nice because the area is mainly influenced by the ocean so it's never too cold or too warm.
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Photo: Croyde, South-England (source: click here)
France has many good places to learn surfing, especially the area around Mimizan. The north side of Spain is also good. Places like Coruña and Cadiz are popular for surfing.
But above all, Portugal! The world's biggest waves have been recorded in this area called Nazaré. Check this video!
South-America
As South-America is all surrounded by ocean it is, like the US, amazing for surf. Places like Rio de Janeiro, Chicama and Pacasmayo have amazing atmospheres to learn to surf.
Africa: South-Africa and Canarrian Islands
For Africa, it's definitely the Canarian Islands, like for example Tenerife. Although it's a Spanish island, it's located in the Atlantic ocean quite nearby Morocco. South-Africa is also a popular place but beware of the Great White Sharks!
After all I could say that surfing can be done anywhere. But I still believe it's better to pick it up in a nice atmosphere with more surfers and appropriate facilities. I hope this article helped you get an idea where to go if you're keen to start surfing!
Also read my first two parts about wave surfing!
Wave Surfing Part 2: How To Start Surfing? - by chrisadventures